Chris has more than twenty years of experience in the areas of competition law and market regulation, both in government and private sectors.

Prior to joining Freehills as a partner in 2002, Chris was a barrister at the Victorian Bar and also worked in a major commercial law firm, the Australian Government Solicitor’s office (Trade Practices Unit), and the Trade Practices Commission (predecessor to the ACCC).

Chris has a particular interest and expertise in energy industries and in the area of telecommunications regulation.

Chris has had extensive experience in negotiating and dealing with the ACCC in relation to merger clearances. In advising his clients, Chris works with economic and industry experts. Chris worked on a number of major matters involving access to and regulation of infrastructure.

• advising National Foods on its proposed acquisition of Dairy Farmers, including the formulation of a strategy aimed at overcoming potential competition concerns and the negotiation with the ACCC of a detailed enforceable undertaking ultimately leading to a successful clearance application
• as the principal regulatory advisor to the Papua New Guinea Government Chris has advised on regulatory reforms for the Information and Communication Technology sector in PNG. This has included advising the government on revising past government policy and developing a package of comprehensive reforms for the entire regulatory framework for the telecommunications industry in PNG supporting a move to open competition. This reform package includes a new licensing regime, a new industry specific regulator, a revised wholesale access regime, liberalisation of the international gateway and a universal access regime
• advising Wesfarmers on its acquisition of industrial and speciality gas business of Linde gas in Australia and securing ACCC clearance for the transaction
• development of detailed competition analysis in connection with the proposed AGL/Origin merger
• Greater Energy Alliance Consortium advising on competition law strategy for resolving impasse in ACCC clearance process relating to AGL’s interests in acquisition of Loy Yang A power station
• numerous merger clearances for various gas producers in eastern Australia and Western Australia
• numerous authorisation applications and advices relating to joint marketing of natural gas in various states
• acting for Murraylink and Directlink in their conversion applications to secure regulated status under the (then) National Electricity Code
• ABC Learning Centres on ACCC clearance applications on major acquisitions, including Peppercorn (2004), Kids Campus (2006) and Hutchisons Child Care (2006)
• securing ACCC clearance for a number of acquisitions by Bayard Capital Partners in respect of electricity meters, including the worldwide Landis & Gyr Group
• advising a consortium of three major banks on a major collaborative venture for outsourcing voucher processing services (Vipro), including detailed negotiations with the ACCC to secure clearance for the proposal
• securing ACCC clearance for the acquisition by Liquorland of the New South Wales business of Theo’s
• advising on and obtaining ACCC clearance for the MYOB merger with Solution 6 (accounting software)
• advising clients in numerous ACCC cartel proceedings, including worldwide vitamins cartel, power & distribution transformers, petrol retailing, and other confidential ACCC investigations, and
• advising NEMMCO on competition and regulatory issues exposed by regulatory reforms of the National Electricity Market.

Chris was admitted to practice in 1990 and has practiced extensively in different Australian jurisdictions. He has also practiced in constitutional and other cases in Papua New Guinea.

 Chris holds a Master of Business Administration (Melbourne Business School).